Silent Characters

I've always had a soft spot for mute (or almost mute) characters. It forces the performer (or animator) to convey the personality through body language and expressions, which can be so much more exciting than dialogue. Maybe it's why I like silent films so much. There's an air of mystery to a silent character, and what's that quote? "It is better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." Here are some of my favorite silent characters.

Hattie, Sweet and Lowdown

I like her because she's sweet and unpretentious. More people need to keep their damn mouths shut and be the same.

Gromit, the Wallace & Gromit movies

Gromit is such a perfect counterbalance to the goofball inventor Wallace. He's chill, he helps him out and he's oh-so-supportive.

The Monster, Frankenstein

Frankenstein's Monster was SO much more effective and creepy before he started talking. For one, Karloff removed some of his bridgework to get those sunken cheeks. Once he started talking, his face got a lot fuller. Boooo. Karloff's performance as the monster (reaching toward the light, stumbling backward in the room with those dead eyes) will always be a masterpiece.

Carpet, Aladdin

Hee hee, Aladdin. So, yeah, he's a cartoon carpet. But he's adorable. And he can facepalm and he doesn't have a face or a palm. I've always had a soft spot for Carpet, he's so loveable.

Bang Bang, The Brothers Bloom

She's my absolute favorite. She's bizarre, she blows stuff up, and appears/disappears without warning or explanation. Go, Bang Bang!

Big Baby, Toy Story 3

Except for a few baby cries and gibberish, he's totally silent and totally creepy. There's a scene where he's sitting on a swingset at night and hears a noise and his head totally swivels around like the Exorcist, *shudders*

Chief, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Okay, so he's not totally mute, but I liked him better before he talked. He just seemed like he had all the answers but had no intention of sharing them, haha. And what a moving climax, crashing through that window. Goosebumps!

Thing, The Addams Family

For being just a hand, he has quite the personality. He helps Gomez with a number of things, he's good at chess, he knows Morse code, and he even likes to prank people. As Morticia says, he's a handful. Baahahaha.

I'm sure there are several I'm forgetting, but I'll leave it at this for now. Who are your favorites?